TITLE:
Identification and Solar Potential Estimation Using Machine Learning and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery in Rural Regions of Colombia and Chile
AUTHORS:
Ivan Carroll-Janer
KEYWORDS:
Sentinel-2, MaxEnt, Copernicus, Machine Learning, Photovoltaic Tool, Remote Sensing, Rooftop Solar PV, Distributed Generation, Energy Transition, Colombia, Chile
JOURNAL NAME:
Energy and Power Engineering,
Vol.18 No.10,
October
13,
2026
ABSTRACT: This paper applies a MaxEnt classification workflow to Sentinel-2 spectral bands and derived indices to map rooftops, non-intervened land, and intervened land across selected rural areas in Colombia and Chile. The study compares detected rooftop counts with housing-census counts and links the classification output to a photovoltaic screening tool. It identifies cloud cover, snow-related spectral confusion, and roof geometry as important constraints on wider application.